Balanced floating apparel.



No. 636,893. Patented Nov. I4, |899. G. D. BURTON.

BALANCED FLOATING APPAREL.

(Application filed Oct. 3, 1898.)

(No Model.)

mi Norms PETERS co., mofou'mo.. WASHINGTON. 'n c.

Massachusetts, have invented a new and use- NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE D. BURTON, OF B OSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BALANCED FLOATING APPAREL.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,893, dated November 14, 1899.

Application nea october s, 189s.I l

To all whom it may concer-n:

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. BURTON, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of ful Improvement in Balanced Floating Apparel, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction and arrangement of an apparel by which the user may be supported in an upright position in water, the objectbeing to make a suit readily adjusted to the person and adapted to hold the user in an upright position and with the upper part of the body out of the water, the wearer being enabled to sustain himself for a long time in the water in case of accident or when desirous to remain floating for the purpose of examining ships or doing marine work. This object I attain by the mechanism shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows my invention as applied to the user. Fig. 2 shows the same detached. Fig. 3 shows, partly in front elevation and partly in section, a modified form of my invention. Fig. 4 shows the boot in side elevation, a part being represented as cut out to show the interior construction. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the iniiating device. Fig. 6 is a plan showing a modification.

In Fig. 1 the user is shown having an inflated air-tube A surrounding his body, Said tube being held around his body by any suitable means, preferably a buckle and strap A. The iniiated air-tube A, which may be called the body-tube, has connected with it two vertical tubes B and B', also inflated. These leg-tubes may be made fast to the legs by means of straps and buckles S S and S S. At the lower end' of the legtubes B B are weight-receptacles O and C', eachof which is loaded with some heavy material, such as shot kor pieces of lead, as shown in Fig. 1. For convenience in iniiating, a force-pump P, connected by a tube P' and stem R to the airtube A, is used. This pump may be of any of the well-known kinds used for the like purposes. A check-valve R serves to prevent the escape of air.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a modification of my suit. In this case leggings H H are connected to the body-tube A, and vertical air-tubes, one of which is shown at K, are connected directly to the leggings, and theboots L and Serial No.- 692,480. (No model.)

L have receptacles N N connected to their bottoms, which are loaded to the degree required. As this suit is made in one piecethat is, all joined together-it is convenient for use, and when not inflated may be folded, so as to occupy but a small space. The degree of inflation will depend upon the weight of the user. but a slight inflation, while a heavy man will require a greater inflation. The inflation device being attached is always ready for use, and the wearer is at all times enabled to supply the exact degree of inflation that he may desire.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modied form of my apparel, in which the body-tube has four vertical tubes c v @2 'U3 connected to it, but having distinct air-chambers,` so that they may be inflated separately, each having an air-pump. The tubes o v c2 o3 may all be inliated at the same time or some of them may be inflated and others left without air. The number and size of the tubes may be varied to suit the requirements. With this outfit a person can sustain himself in safety for a long time in water in case of accident or shipwreck or in case he wishes to examineA or repair a vessel or do any marine work.

I claim-- 1. The combination lof an inflatable belt adapted to be fastened about the body of the wearer, inflatable tubes connected thereto, and means for attaching said tubes to the legs of the wearer.

2. The combination of an iniiatable belt adapted to be fastened about the body of the wearer, intlatable tubes connected thereto and adapted to be attached to the legs of the wearer, said tubes being provided with weights.

3. The combination of an iniiatable bodytube, a plurality of vertical tubes attached thereto, each of said tubes being provided with a weight and having distinct airchan1 bers, whereby they may be inflated separately. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 30th day of September, A. D. 1898.

GEO. D. BURTON.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM EDsoN, FRANK B. COX.

Thus a light man will require IOO 

